WILLIAM REGAL ANNOUNCES A #1 CONTENDERSHIP TOURNAMENT- Because the former NXT Champion and thus presumptive #1 contender Drew McIntyre is injured, we’re getting a series of four singles matches leading up to a Fatal 4-Way #1 contendership match… which basically makes this the opposite of what is happening right now on Raw with the Cruiserweights. One of the match we were supposed to get tonight was to be Kassius Ohno vs. Velveteen Dream but Dream, too, is injured and thus will have to be replaced with someone else. I do feel the need to point out that both Ohno and Dream lost at Takeover. The other match we’ll get tonight is Trent Seven vs. Killian Dain.

ANDRADE ALMAS’ CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATION- bad.
His promo was very hard to understand due to a combination of his thick accent and a problem with the sound-level, though I’m not sure if the problematic sound level was in the equipment or in the volume that Almas was talking at.

LARS SULLIVAN GETS AMBUSHED BY THE PRESS- they want to know about his qualifier against Roddy next week. He came off vaguely heelish when talking about Roddy. This wasn’t bad, but I do think it would be better for him to be more of a silent monster.

#1 CONTENDERSHIP MATCH QUALIFIER: Trent Seven vs. Killian Dain- 4/10
Dain dominated the entire thing to the point it was almost a squash.

UNDISPUTED ERA PROMO- hated it. They said a lot of stuff that was supposed to sound important but was completely empty.

NO HOLDS BARRED MATCH: Sonya Deville vs. Ruby Riott- 2/10
Mauro said that Deville was “attacking the body like it was filled with candy.” He really said that.
This was an EVOLVE-style “No Holds Barred” Match where they actually make it about the holds rather than just using it as a synonym for No DQs. Unfortunately, unlike you’d see in EVOLVE, this was not very good. There was very little in the way of an overarching story and the Ruby’s selling was not good, which is even more striking coming from someone who usually sells extremely well.

EMBER MOON TALKS TO THE PRESS- she begins to cut a basic babyface promo but gets interrupted by Billie & Peyton to challenge her to a match… but they both say they are the one who will be facing her. They gave Ember a lame one-liner to leave on. The press then asked Billie & Peyton which one of them would be facing Ember next week and they couldn’t agree. This was pretty dull, but it does seem to be leading to dissension within the Iconic camp, so at least that will be something new.

TYLER BATE VIDEO PACKAGE- he’s getting a UK Title shot in two weeks.

Next week we’re getting ADAM COLE VS. ALEISTER BLACK!

#1 CONTENDERSHIP MATCH QUALIFIER: Kassius Ohno vs. Johnny Gargano- 8/10
Gargano survived Hero’s hard strikes to get the win, and Mauro framed it like it was the beginning of a turnaround for Gargano after the terrible year he has had… and while I can definitely see that, Mauro definitely came across to me like he was trying to sell this as something MUCH bigger than it actually was.

A dull episode of NXT saved by an awesome main event. Mauro was not good tonight. Aside from the selling of the main event and the line I mentioned above in the women’s match, he also kept making these totally forced Christmas references that are the sort of thing you’d expect from the main roster, not from NXT, and he was the only one making them so it seems to me like he was probably doing it on his own (if he was being told to do it then I would assume that Nigel and Percy would have been told to as well, but Mauro was the only one doing it).

WILLIAM REGAL ANNOUNCES A #1 CONTENDERSHIP TOURNAMENT- Because the former NXT Champion and thus presumptive #1 contender Drew McIntyre is injured, we’re getting a series of four singles matches leading up to a Fatal 4-Way #1 contendership match…

I loathe Fatal 4 Ways for things like this. How hard is it to just name a Number 1 Contender? Regal can't decide between EIGHT fucking guys - nine technically - so let's have the better half of ya fight each other at the same time, that should settle it. Now we're gonna have the same crap from the Women's match at Takeover... "Well, technically I didn't get pinned, so..." Shut up with all that, it's so whiney.

ANDRADE ALMAS’ CHAMPIONSHIP CELEBRATION- bad.
His promo was very hard to understand due to a combination of his thick accent and a problem with the sound-level, though I’m not sure if the problematic sound level was in the equipment or in the volume that Almas was talking at.

Agreed. I'll take that a step further, I think it's perfectly respectfull to celebrate in this manner the night you win the belt. I'll even go as far as the next night on RAW. But it's been, like, 3 weeks. This was not the time to be jumping around and blathering into the microphone, that time has passed. He came across as not very confident, and not what I really care to see in a champion. Not with the tailored suit and hot girl at his side... save all that goofy shit for Ambrose or Dragon or somebody it fits. This whole segment was uncomfortable for me to watch, in the bad way.

LARS SULLIVAN GETS AMBUSHED BY THE PRESS- they want to know about his qualifier against Roddy next week. He came off vaguely heelish when talking about Roddy. This wasn’t bad, but I do think it would be better for him to be more of a silent monster.

If he wasn't so good on the mic, I'd agree, but I was actually surprised about how well he came off here. Up until now I thought we were looking at another generic "Silent Monster" and was having Ryback flashbacks. But, now he has me thinking he just might be something special, something different from all those from the mold before him. He changed my mind in a cheesy ass reporter segment, I'm wondering what the man could do on the stick for real. I'm not saying we're looking at the next Rock or anything, but this little segment did more for me than his Takeover match.

EMBER MOON TALKS TO THE PRESS- she begins to cut a basic babyface promo but gets interrupted by Billie & Peyton to challenge her to a match… but they both say they are the one who will be facing her. They gave Ember a lame one-liner to leave on. The press then asked Billie & Peyton which one of them would be facing Ember next week and they couldn’t agree.

If anyone should be a Silent Monster, it's Ember. Also, given my disdain for Fatal 4 Ways, am more frustrated that we have to go through several weeks of BS to get a Number 1 Contender for the Heavyweight Championship, but Billie and Peyton can just interrupt an interview, complain, and then get to decide among themselves who gets to face the champ? There's a disconnect in management here.

Mauro was not good tonight. Aside from the selling of the main event and the line I mentioned above in the women’s match, he also kept making these totally forced Christmas references that are the sort of thing you’d expect from the main roster, not from NXT

The man single handedly ruins the show for me. I hate him. What's with the rhyming? Does he do that on purpose, or is it coinicental? He does it ~just~ enough for me to not be sure. I know NXT is where they try things out, and every single week I pray they pull the plug on the Mauro experiment. A great announcer should make a great moment epic and a slow show bearable. Mauro makes everything worse, I would in all seriousness rather listen to a 13 year old YouTuber call a show.

You talk about Dream and Ohno both lost at Takeover...what about Gargano, whose whole thing has been "Big time big match losing streak, over and over again", for a while now?

How does that make any sense?

Because at least he wasbn't originally scheduled to be in the match.

He should Never been scheduled in it though either way.

I think it's OK since he was a fill-in and actually won. The over selling of the moment and the focus on his bad year make it feel like he was GIVEN an opportunity he didn't deserve, and he made the most of it. The untold story makes this work for me, like he begged Regal for the open spot, for "one last chance". I liked it. He was a bit of a letdown, especially all the build around him being a failure this year, as a "mystery opponent". They didn't need to do that for Gargano, given it's NXT and anyone could show up, this had a Gobledygooker effect. Announce him as a fill-in and let the anticipation of a great match sell the show. Unless Ohno uses this later in a heel-type "unfair treatment" angle, it was completely pointless.

WILLIAM REGAL ANNOUNCES A #1 CONTENDERSHIP TOURNAMENT- Because the former NXT Champion and thus presumptive #1 contender Drew McIntyre is injured, we’re getting a series of four singles matches leading up to a Fatal 4-Way #1 contendership match…

I loathe Fatal 4 Ways for things like this. How hard is it to just name a Number 1 Contender? Regal can't decide between EIGHT fucking guys - nine technically - so let's have the better half of ya fight each other at the same time, that should settle it. Now we're gonna have the same crap from the Women's match at Takeover... "Well, technically I didn't get pinned, so..." Shut up with all that, it's so whiney.

EMBER MOON TALKS TO THE PRESS- she begins to cut a basic babyface promo but gets interrupted by Billie & Peyton to challenge her to a match… but they both say they are the one who will be facing her. They gave Ember a lame one-liner to leave on. The press then asked Billie & Peyton which one of them would be facing Ember next week and they couldn’t agree.

If anyone should be a Silent Monster, it's Ember. Also, given my disdain for Fatal 4 Ways, am more frustrated that we have to go through several weeks of BS to get a Number 1 Contender for the Heavyweight Championship, but Billie and Peyton can just interrupt an interview, complain, and then get to decide among themselves who gets to face the champ? There's a disconnect in management here.

My biggest and only thing real thing with her is the "red eyes just for the sake of red eyes.".

So that might be part of what you're alluding to.

Yes! When Ember Moon talks, I expect Luna Vachon or Eric Young to come out, not all this sassy diva talk.

As a matter of fact, they should have Mauro Ranallo do voice over dubs for her. That or she could lose the red eyes, which I do like, or they could lose Ranallo, whom I don't like, but now understand that I could in only this very specific role.